Grand champion steer sells for $22,500

ROBSTOWN - The economy lowered sale prices this year, organizers said, but it didn't lower the excitement Saturday at the Nueces County Junior Livestock Show blue ribbon auction.

The auctioneer's voice filled the Richard M. Borchard Fairgrounds exhibit hall as he rattled off bids by the thousands. Students showed off their prized animals in the show ring, earning college tuition money and some pride, too, as a year's worth of animal feeding, grooming and care ended inside the show ring.

There were more than 3,900 entries in the 75th annual livestock show with nearly 1,100 exhibitors, 812 of which made the auction.

Sale prices were less by a few thousand dollars on average for the top animals, and this auction had more companies collaborating to buy animals than

any year before, said Harvey Buehring, one of the auction coordinators.

The grand champion steer carcass raised $20,500, which goes to a scholarship fund for livestock show participants. Last year's carcass sale raised $72,000 and paid for 46 scholarships.

"Our auctioneers are working their hardest to get support from our local businesses," Buehring said. "We want to get our youngsters as much of a reward as we can."

This year's total sales, including add-on contributions, won't be available until later this month. Payne Neessen, a Tuloso-Midway High School senior, celebrated after winning the auction's high bid of $22,500 with his grand champion steer, Plumpy. Berry Contracting, Texas AgFinance, Swanter and Gordon Insurance, Sam Kane, Whataburger, Wildcat Motors, Valero and San Antonio Group put together the winning bid.

Payne, 17, grinned as he pulled his large gray steer around the show ring after the auction. It was his second straight year with the grand champion steer. Last year, he sold his steer for the same price. Payne, who upheld a family tradition in the livestock show, said he was surprised to receive such a high bid this year.

"When it started taking off, I wasn't expecting that," Payne said.

He hopes to study business at Texas State University next year. His earnings will help pay for school.

The next highest sale went to Hannah Kaplan, who earned $14,000 for her grand champion lamb. Sage Sale of Tuloso-Midway FFA sold her grand champion swine for $12,000.

It took more than 300 volunteers to run the all-day event, including food vendors, animal assistants and data entry personnel — charged with the responsibility of keeping track of the voluminous amount of bids.